Carlos Velasco Carballo was criticised by fans of Brazil and Colombia for his handling of their quarter-final. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Fifa via Getty Images

The Spanish referee who has enraged both Brazil and Colombia with his handling of their quarter-final was finally tracked down - outside the urinals of Rio de Janeiro international airport. Carlos Velasco Carballo had stepped off the same flight from Fortaleza to Rio that was carrying the official entourage of English media.

One Colombian fan waited for him outside the toilets to complain about the way he let so many Brazilian free-kicks go and did not do more to protect James Rodríguez. The Spanish official appeased her by agreeing to a photograph.

A smiling Carballo then explained to the Guardian and Observer’s chief football writer, Daniel Taylor, why he could not talk in detail about his performance, or the challenge from Juan Zúñiga that ended Neymar’s World Cup. “Unfortunately I cannot talk about it. I would like to but the rules do not allow it. We did a Fifa open day for the referees at the start of the tournament and we were all very open that day. I can talk to you about Manchester United or Chelsea or José Mourinho or anything else, but not this, thank you.”